Moon Chronicles Shoots Up The 3DS This Week

The Nintendo 3DS (and the DS before it) may not be known as a FPS powerhouse, but that hasn't stopped several developers from giving it a go. This week, one of the best shooters on the DS finally makes the jump to a third dimension as Moon Chronicles arrives on the 3DS.

Sunday morning, Joystiq stumbled upon a Tweet that thrill-seekers gaming on the 3DS might be interested in. It came from the developers of Moon Chronicles and it was rather to the point, stating that the game will launch on the Nintendo eShop this Thursday, May 15, for $8.99.

For those who have never heard of Moon Chronicles, it's a from-the-ground-up remake of Moon for the original DS, which puts the player in the boots of one Major Kane, a man who must explore a secret base hidden on Earth's closest celestial body. The original game was well received on the DS, but went under quite a few radars. Developer Renegade Kid hopes to correct that oversight on Nintendo's latest handheld, offering up an enhanced version of the game on an episodic basis.

For starters, you'll be able to pick up the first chapter of Moon Chronicles May 15 for nine bucks. After that, chapters two, three and four will be made available for another $1.99 a pop. I guess a good way of looking at it would be this: Instead of paying $15 on a whim, you can take a nice chunk of the game for a spin for half the total price. If you're picking up what it's putting down, then drop another six or so dollars in the months ahead to get the full story. I'd rather just spend the lump sum and get the full game at once myself but, hey, thems the breaks these days.

So what, exactly, can players expect out of Moon Chronicles? According to Renegade Kid's site, the answer to that question is “an atmospheric first-person sci-fi adventure with enhanced graphics and intuitve touch screen controls, for a truly immersive experience—all running at a silky smooth 60fps with 3D on.”

Well, it certainly sounds like they've beefed up the total package to make this jump to the 3DS worth a look-see. Episode 1, called One Small Step, will put players in control of Major Kane's first steps on the moon, investigating a mysterious hatch of unknown origins. Purchasing this episode will also net you Tsukigami's VR Training, a special mission meant to help the player hone their FPS skills. If you're not too keen on trying to get the hang of a shooter with just one thumb slider, however, the game also supports the Circle Pad Pro.

If this first season of Moon Chronicles does well enough in this new incarnation, Renegade Kid has said that a Season 2 is planned for release on the 3DS in 2015, which would take the game beyond Moon's original story and into whole new territories.